Miss Versatility: Cessna’s T206 Turbo Stationair

Cessna’s glamorous tomboy is both a “mini-airliner” and a cargo carrier that can cope with rough airstrips

You know the kind of woman who is the last word in elegance, but also goes hiking in Levi’s and a work shirt?The Stationair is a bit like that; it has dual personalities. It’s a glamorous mini-airliner, but it’s also a cargo-shifter that can cope with jungle airstrips.

The Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair provided for this flight test by Cessna’s dealer is the model first introduced in 2009. It has an all-glass panel, a turbocharged engine, on-board oxygen and leather seats for six. In 2009 Cessna introduced a number of detail improvements over earlier models, including better position and landing lights, and—for the first time—air bags.